The plane touched down earlier yesterday morning. Kinnick and I spent most of the day sleeping. Neither of us felt motivated to do anything else. After having sex in the bathroom, there was a magnetic pull, asking us to tangle up with one another. He spent the night into the early morning buried inside of me as I laid over the side of the bed, watching the City of Lights from a different point of view.

Although my body was sore, I knew the pain he felt was inevitable. It crept up on him when he finally had a chance to relax. The bruises on his ribs were deep purple, making it hard for him to get comfortable. The cuts on his face needed attentive care to keep them from getting infected. I knew, even in the hotel, despite all of the smiles, he was hurting. Kinnick is just good at hiding what he doesn't want you to see.

The scar under his eye broke open several times. He sat still as I was spread over his lap, stitching it up. His inability to flinch as I threaded a needle through the tight skin under his eye made me stare at him with wonder.

I knew he suffered great deals of pain in his life, but when did it get to the point where moments like those didn't bother him? It was like lifting a brick. When you are younger, it is hard to lift, and when you get older, it is still heavy, but it is easier to carry because you are used to it. Because you are stronger now. It made me wonder when did the pain become manageable? When did he start to normalize it?

Sleeping next to him was easier to do when the day held nothing for us. No one called our phones. A ring wasn't waiting for him to get in, and I delayed my return to work. After the incident with Jack, the head of my firm Ethan Spillner, told me I was more than welcome to talk all of the time I needed.

Ethan knew about the issues Kinnick and me faced. After winning five cases back to back, he was lenient. He called my sudden rise in success unprecedented. As a twenty-year-old, I should be in college, still busting my ass off. Yet, Professor Roberts helped pave the way for me. All of the years I spent with my nose in textbooks, my eyes trained on a computer screen, all of it paid off. The strained eyes and sleepless nights were worth it.

When the morning came, I knew Kinnick was getting antsy. The way his leg bounced for hours upon end as he tried to find something to do told me so. He also drank half a pot of coffee, so I assumed that had something to do with his newfound rush.

He was aching to get back to the gym, and I wasn't going to stop him. Hitting a punching bag was his way of life, and I won't deny him of that. As long as no one was hitting him, I didn't mind at all. The only thing I wanted was reassurance he would be safe.

After deciding to visit John, I asked him to take me to Miles's house. After what happened with Chrissy, I wanted to make sure he was doing okay. It was wrong of me to barge into their house. Despite my anger, I should have thought about the way it would make Miles feel.

My hand knocked on his wooden door, waiting for him to answer. Kinnick sat in his truck until I gave him a small wave. Miles welcomed me inside. I apologized for the unannounced visit, but he told me I never have to call. I am welcome at any time.

My arms wrapped around his waist as he brought me into his chest. "How are you doing?"

He sighed. "I thought it would suck, you know? Watching her leave. Yet, I couldn't find it in my heart to be sad. The loneliness is the only thing that hurts."

"Come stay with us," I offered. "For as long as you want."

He gave me a weak smile. "What's up? You look like you want to ask me something."

"I do," I chuckled. "Do you feel like you are up for a best friend date today?"

"Why not?" He nodded. "I guess that is why you look so cute."

I rolled my eyes. "I look generic."

"I wish I looked like your type of generic."

My hand shoved at his shoulder. "Miles, you are so beautiful. I am jealous."

He laughed. "Kinnick does like my eyes. He is always intensely staring into them."

"See," I throw up my hands. "Why have me when he can have you?"

"I need to change," he stared down at me. "Give me a few."

"Why? You look great!"

"I have been wearing this shirt for the past three days."

"Do you not have any clean clothes?"

His eyes fell to the carpet below our feet. "Uh - not really."

"After lunch, I will do your laundry."

"Really?"

"Absolutely," I smiled. "Do you want to stay with us tonight?"

"I don't want to be a burden."

"Gather whatever clothes you need to be washed, and you can stay over," I tried to assure him everything was fine. "I miss having you around."

The way his shoulders relaxed made me believe all he wanted was to be surrounded by friends, but he wanted one of us to ask him, so he didn't seem like a burden when he asked us. I stayed on his couch, texting Kinnick about the new details of tonight. Not even fifteen minutes later, he was coming downstairs with a clothes basket.

"Are you sure this isn't too much?"

"Of course," I promised. "Hopefully, you have enough laundry to last a few days. I feel like this week is going to be a lot of fun."

He gently hit my hip with his own. "Is this a slumber party?"

"That is exactly what this is," I laughed. "Thankfully, I left my car here. So, we can take mine. That way, it doesn't overstay its welcome."

"I wasn't worried," he shrugged. "At least you are getting more comfortable with driving."

My hands hit the unlock button on my keys. "It is definitely one of my biggest accomplishments this year."

"I'm proud of you," he told me as he slid his basket of clothes into my backseat. "You are doing great, Bo."

"How do you feel about Kinnick's bar?"

"I was going to ask you that," he grinned. "Trevor is working, and he makes the best wings."

My car turned down the street. "He also makes the best chicken nuggets."

"So, what's been going on? Have you been back to work?"

I shake my head. "Not yet. There are things I am trying to figure out."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

The only thing I wanted was to be a prosecutor. That was due to the assault that happened three years ago. No one was aware, but Friday, it will be three years exactly. It made me motivated. It had me hoping I could make the world a better place. But after all of the death threats I received and Jack attacking me in my office, I struggled to find peace.

Being a prosecutor meant listening to cases that were similar to my story. I listened to stories about rape and abuse at the hands of a parent. Every day was a constant reminder. I was stuck in between walking away and helping more people. While it damaged me, I was making an impact. Lose some, win some. In each case, I lost a piece of me, even when I won. It was emotionally draining, and I don't have a tube telling me if I was close to empty.

"What would you do?"

I shrugged as we exited my car. "I want to be a writer."

"I can see that," he opened the door for me. "Would you ever return as a prosecutor?"

"Once I am in a different mindset."

"I know seeing a therapist is hard when you don't want to accept something is wrong," he looked at me. "Or you are worried you will be judged or looked at differently for seeing one, but I am proud of you for going. Seriously, thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?"

"I don't know what I would have done if I lost my best friend," his eyes held water, and I wasn't sure if they were tears or a sea of emotional depth. "Kinnick probably tells you all of the time, but you really are the best thing to happen to us. Not just him, but all of us."

"Why?"

"Personally, watching you fall in love with Kinnick gave me hope."

"Really?"

"He has some serious issues," he started to shake his head with a smile on his lips. "Like, seriously, that dude is fucked up, but you love him. It makes me think, I too am capable of love."

My hand patted his back. "Of course, you are capable of love."

"Be honest and don't make it weird," he pointed at me. "Would you date me?"

"Yes," I admitted. "Not only are you undeniably attractive, but you have a heart of gold. Any girl would be lucky to date you, but your girl isn't going to throw herself at you like you assume. She will show up when you least expect it."

"I feel as if I am a lost cause," his lips tugged upward. "Women sleep with me, and from what I can tell, they enjoy it. Yet, they leave in the middle of the night. So, when I wake up, I'm alone."

"It's odd, isn't it?" I said as I stared at him with confusion. "You are mister right, just not mister right now."

"How did you know Kinnick was the one?"

I looked down at the ring on my finger. "When I felt the worries in my mind halt. When I realized for the first time since my assault, I felt safe. "

"How long did it take for you to notice?"

"Three seconds," I let out a breathy laugh. "He scared me outside of the gym. It was the first night we met. We didn't know one another, but his laughter was like hearing a song I knew I heard before, but I couldn't remember the name."

"Love at first sight?"

"No," I shake my head as my brows furrowed. "It wasn't love. His blue eyes were a stranger to me, but they felt familiar. You know when you come home, and you let out that sigh of relief because you are back at a place that is all yours? And you know that you can fully be yourself. That was what it was like. He was my breath of relief."